Creasing machine for vamps and other parts of boots and shoes and the like



April 8 1924.

A. G. LEGGE CREASING MACHINE FOR VAMPS AND OTHER PARTS OF BOOTS AND SHOES AND THE LIKE Filed April 10 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENI'EIYT- 0L W zwLKWw A April 8, 1924. 1,489,605

A. G. LEGGE CREASING MACHINE FOR VAMPS AND OTHER PARTS OF BOOTS AND SHOES AND THE LIKE Filed April 10. 1923 2 Sheet INVEN'A'EH/Z Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED G. LEGGE, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CREASING MACHINE FOR VAMPS AND OTHER PARTS OF BOOTS AND SHOES AND THE LIKE.

- Application filed April 10,1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED G. LEceE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, county of Plymouth, State of- 6 Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Oreasing Machines for Vamps and Other Parts of Boots and Shoes and the like, of which the follow ing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

'My present invention relates to machines for producing a crease in leather and similarmaterials, and particularly a crease along the median line of the vamp of boots and shoes. The particular object of the invention is to produce a machine for this purpose which will produce a well-defined, permanent crease without injury to the stock and with a degree of rapidity which makes the machine commercially practical. The crease produced by my machine retains its shape without the use of a cord as has heretofore been commonly employed.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description when taken in connection with the-accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

In the drawings:

.Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention, the lower die being also shown in dotted lines in the position which it occupies when the stock is being as placed thereon or taken off.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken through the dies when in closed position and so showing the stock being subjected to pressure.

Referring now to the drawings, the upper, and in the form of machine shown in the drawings, the movable die, is shown at A,

as and the lower or relatively stationary die at B, both of said dies being given a general shape corresponding to the shape of a portion of a vamp adjacent the crease. By being so shaped, the leather is not subjected so to any undue strains nor distorted. The lower die B is provided with a groove 11 following the apex or ridge pole of the die, while the upper die A is provided with a complementary rib 12 similarly placed. The ll rib 12 is somewhat smaller in cross-section Serial No. 631,092.

than the groove 11 to provide proper space forthe stock. One or the other of the dies is heated by suitableheating apparatus as,

for instance, a gas flame from a burner 18. The portions 14:, 14c, of the surface of the fe-' slope upwardly away from the rib 12, the

diverging surfaces forming a slightly flaring space between the dies oneach side of the co-operating rib and groove. The total space between the outer edge a of the male die and a corresponding point I) on the surface of the female die is greater than the thickness of any stock which is to be creased by the machine. that the edges of the male die do not contact with the leather and therefore do not leave an objectionable mark or line on it. The dies are so constructed that the stock is compressed firmly betweenthe co-operating surfaces 14 and 15 of the dies on both sides of the rib and groove at the sametime and the rib 12 forces the stock into the groove 11. This arrangement is such that the stock in the groove is subjected to tension transversely of'the groove as well as to compression normally to the surface of the rib, but is not marked or scarred in any way. Accordingly, when the stock is thus treated by the dies, one or both of which is properly heated, a permanent set is given to the fibres of the leather, rendering the crease lasting without injury to the stock and without the use of a cord.

As already stated, the lower die B isrelatively stationary while the upper die A has a movement toward and away from it by mechanism which will be described hereafter. While the lower die B is stationary relative to the upper die A, it is also slidable in a horizontal plane forward between guides 16 and 17 to the position'shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This horizontal movement permits the lower die to be drawn forward out from under the upper die so that the operator can place the blank on the lower' die accurately, having uninterrupted vision of the prick marks on the leather by which he is guided in placing it on the die. After the stock is put in place, the lower die is pushed back until itcontacts with the stop 9 by which the lower die It will, therefore, be seen is accurately positioned with reference to the upper die.

The upper die is mounted on crosshead 18 (see particularly Fig. 2), which is arranged. at right angles to the die. This crosshead is slidable vertically on rods 19 and 20 secured at the bottom to the base 23 and at the top to side frames 26, and is held normally in its upper position by means of springs 21 on rods 22, the upper ends of the rods being secured to ears (Z on the crosshead. Th lower ends of the rods 22 pass through holes in ears f on the base 23, having secured to their lower ends a beam at. The beam Zelis connected by a link 25 with a treadle 6 (see Fig. 1). From the foregoing it will be seen that by depressing the treadle, the operator can move the upper die down toward the lower die, but the pressure which he can exert on the work will be limited by his strength and the leverage on the foot treadle.

In the upwardly projecting parts of the side frames 26 is a shaft 2? provided with a handle 28. The shaft 27 also carries an arm 29 which is connected by an adjustable link 30 with the crosshead 18 by means of a pivot 31. The adjustable link 30 and arm 29, together with the shaft 27 and handle 28, form means by which the movable die it can be moved up and down by hand as well as by the treadle. As will be explained hereafter, they also aiford means by which the final pressure can be placed on. the stock and the stock left under pressure without the operator exerting himself to hold down the treadle.

Ehe adjustable link 30 is made up of two parts 9 and it connected by nut or turn buckle m having a right and left-hand thread. A suitable check nut n is also pr0- vided. At 35 is shown a pin mounted on the shaft 27 and arranged to engage with a cooperating stop 3:2 on the frame of the machine. these parts being so placed in relation to each other that they will be in engagement and therefore prevent further movement of the handle 28 when the arm 29 and adjustable link 30 are in line with other, that is, are on dead center.

In using the machine embodying invention, the operator heats one or both of the dies to a suitable tem erature. He then draws out the lower die and places on it the vamp or other part to be creased. He then pushes the lower die B back into position until. it contacts with the stop 9. Next he depresses the treadle 6. Depressing the treadle 6 moves the upper die down toward the lower die B. at the same time swinging the handle 28 down. When the upper die has been moved as far down as possible by the treadle, bringing the arm 29 and link 30- nearly but not quite to dead center, the operator grasps the handle 28 and, with the increased leverage afforded by this construction, moves the handle down wardly until the said arm and link are in a straight line and in dead center position with e "tops 35 and 82 in contact with each other. ien in this position, the springs 21 cannot lift the upper die and, therefore, the parts remain in this position until the operator releases the handle by pulling it forward. This construction makes it possible for one operator to operate two ma chines. leaving the stock in one machine while he removes the creased vamp from the other machine and subjects another pieceof stock to the action of the dies.

If the pressure exerted by the upper die on the work is too much or too little, the operator can adjust it by turning the nut m as required. In practice, it is convenient to turn the nut m so that the upper die will just contact with the surface of the work when the treadle is depressed and slightly before the arm 29 and link 30 are brought to dead center position. When thus adjusted, it will be found that the proper pressure is ordinarily exerted by the die whenv the handle is moved into pressing position.

While the arm 29 and adjustable link 30 have the general appearance of a toggle joint, they do not, strictly speaking, constitute one, since they are not actuated by pressure exerted on the pivot 34. It will be understood. however. that I do not limit myself. to this construction, and that additional pressure on the work can be obtained. by operatin the members as a true toggle joint. What I claim is: 1. A creasingmachine comprising cooperating dies one of which has a groove and. the other of which has a complementary rib, the portions of said dies at both sides of said rib and groove respectively being constructed to grip the stock to be operated upon immediately adjacent said rib and groove only.

2. A creasing machine comprising cooperatina' dies one of which has a groove and the other of which has a complementary rib. the portions of said dies at both sides of said rib and groove being flared away from each other so that the stock adjacent the groove and rib respectively will be gripped, the pressure exerted thereon being greatest ad iacent the said roove and rib and decreasingly less at a distance therefrom.

3. In a creasing machine. in combination a pair of complementary creasing dies relatively movable toward and from. each other. means including a pedal for causing one of said dies to approach the other, and separate means including a hand lever for exerting an additional pressure on work between said dies, said last named means acting on one of said dies independently of said first named means. 4;. In a creasing machine. in combination, a frame having a bed, a stationary die supframe, an adjustable toggle link connected at one end with said head and at the other end eccentrically with said shaft; and a hand 1 lever on said shaft for rocking the same.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALFRED G. LEGGE. 

